Nobel peace laureates Desmond Tutu, Dr Shirin Ebadi, Prof Wangari Maathai and Jody Williams, who spoke at seminars on various issues in Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, promised to the global civil society that they will use their positions to fight for justice and peace in the world.

The Nobel laureates also demanded of the western countries and international financial institutions that they write off the debts of developing countries so that they can allocate more money to eliminate poverty.

They also said they will use their positions to highlight the plight of women and noted that women have been at the forefront of advocating peace in their countries.

Iranian rights activist Dr Shirin Ebadi, winner of the Nobel peace prize in 2003, said peace in the world will come only if the world put in more money into education and health.

''If we increase the sums that we spend on education and health rather than the enormous budgets that we have for military equipment, then the world would be a better place to live in,'' said Dr Ebadi.

Dr Ebadi criticised the US for spending 8 billion US dollars on the invasion of Iraq. ''Real peace comes about when peace is redefined as human security and not national security,'' she asserted.

"Our intention is to fight for peace and justice since we can have more impact on these two issues,'' Ebadi said.

Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu said freedom and justice can prevail only if there is a new world social order. The theologian said the call for the fight against social injustice is necessary because each human being is special to God.

Prof Wangari Maathai, the winner of Nobel peace prize in 2004, said global super powers should ensure that there is equitable distribution of resources in the world.

''Until we see equitable distribution of resources in the world we will never know world peace,'' Wangari, also a Kenyan environmentalist, said. She said she would plant over a billion trees in ten years to thwart major climate change.

''The climate change has been so drastic and so fast that if nothing is done this planet will be unable to sustain life,'' she said.

The Nobel laureate also urged creditor countries to write off the debts of developing countries to provide opportunities for them to reduce poverty. '' The debt crisis remains one of the major obstacles in the fight against poverty in Africa, Asia and Latin America,'' Prof Wangari asserted.

Prof Jody Williams, an American winner of the peace prize in 1997 for her work on the campaign against landmines, said, ''Its shameful that the South African government could use their first vote at the Security Council to stifle democracy in Burma that is under military rule, where people are suffering and being degraded the way they went through the apartheid era.''

MEET ENDS TODAY
Curtain falls today on the WSF meet that began on January 20 and lasted a few days with activities like workshops, seminars, singing, dancing, and processions. All the activities were aimed at putting the spotlight on the world disorder, and protesting all kinds of repression and injustice worldwide.